


You Owe Me

by impracticaljokers (stellarconstellation)



Category: Impractical Jokers
Genre: Cursing because Staten Island, He just has a loveable punchable face, M/M, Protect James Murray
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-28
Updated: 2017-10-28
Packaged: 2019-01-25 15:09:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12534592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stellarconstellation/pseuds/impracticaljokers
Summary: James Murray has a knack for getting himself into sticky situations. Q, like any good boyfriend, is worried for his well-being, but being stubborn, Murr assures him he’s fine. Disregarding him, Q follows Murr to a bar to keep an eye on him, and lucky for Murr, Q is able to save him from getting into another fight. Now, Murr owes Q big time for protecting him, but this deal has a catch.





	You Owe Me

If there’s one thing James Murray is good at, it’s getting himself into trouble. Whether it be in a bar or the checkout line of a grocery store, James somehow weasels his way into an argument that rarely ends with a pretty outcome. Anytime James comes home sporting a new wound, Brian is immediately on his case, questioning him about how he got hurt and who hurt him so he can kill them with his bare hands. Even though Murr appreciates the continuous fuss over himself, he would always push Q aside and brush off what he refers to as a ‘minor cut’ just to be able to wash himself properly without Q’s help. 

Of course, Brian wasn’t going to let this blow over so easily. James is his pride and joy, and he likes to keep him looking pretty so he has something to distract him from his work. He offered to go out with him next time to watch his back, but naturally, Murr declined because he’s fully capable of handling himself which is obviously not true (Q would and does beg to differ). Instead of going against his wishes directly, Brian agreed to leave him be until Murr goes out the following night to his favorite bar on Staten Island. The bar of his choice is usually pretty crowded with characters of all shapes and sizes–most that could beat James into a pulp in ten seconds flat. 

Q had lied to Murr about going to some other bar on the opposite end of the island so James could have a peace of mind while out on the town. In reality, Brian had been sitting hidden in plain sight in a booth in the back of the bar James happened to be strolling into. Brian politely declined the Jameson he’d love to have in his glass right now for Murr’s sake as an intoxicated Q would only make matters worse. He observed James from his position: a freshly tailored suit jacket over a button-down and jeans with dress shoes–attire akin to a neon sign that says ‘Hi, please punch me if I get into a debate with you’. 

It wasn’t long before Murr was through several expensive looking drinks that were either making him sick or desperately in need of relief, for he was quickly sliding out of his stool and maneuvering towards the bathroom with each stride getting increasingly wobblier. One wrong step, and he was falling towards the hardwood, hands outstretched to grab anything that could keep him upright, and as if he was cursed with the worst luck in the world, his aid happened to be the wife of one of the biggest guys in the bar.  
Immediately, the man was kicking his seat away to jerk James up by his shoulders, screaming a flurry of threats and profane words in his face, some even Brian was unaware existed, while the wife cried dramatically about being touched by a drunken fool. 

Murr was frozen in shock, his limbs hanging limply in the clutches of the Hulk himself, mumbling inaudible words as he stared blankly ahead. Q was on his feet, his mind telling him to do the right thing without actually being prepared physically, dashing to rescue his prized possession, guns blazing; however, his only defense was two fists attached to the two arms James once complimented as being muscular only because he beat Murr thrice in arm wrestling. Brian couldn’t tell if James recognized him, but Q couldn’t care beyond saving him in that moment. He was the most important thing in the world to him, and he’d do anything to keep him safe and sound…

“Wow, Bri, you did all that just for me?” James was lying on the couch, his body sprawled comfortably across its entirety with his head resting heavily in Brian’s lap as Q explained what had happened while he was passed out drunk on the floor.

“You bet your ass I did, and I expect a long-winded apology for makin’ me come and save your skin when you specifically said you’d never need my help,” Q grumbled, his expression softening when he glanced down to meet Murr’s eyes staring in awe back up at him. 

His friend’s cheeks bloomed a bright pink, embarrassment from his feeble situation finally settling in. “Right. Sorry about that. Next time I’ll bring you with me as my personal bodyguard.”

Brian was gently picking up James’s head to set it down on the cushion so that he could get to his feet. Currently, sleep was overriding his need to make sure Murr was perfectly fine every second of the day. “No, next time I take us where I want go, so we can enjoy ourselves without you getting another black eye.”

James held his focus on the ceiling, nodding slowly in agreement. “That, too.”

“Goodnight, James.”

“Goodnight, Brian.”

As Q shuffled off to his bedroom, he considered when the appropriate time would be to break it to James that he had paid the man at the bar a significant amount of money to keep quiet about Murr’s little incident with his wife and didn’t actually beat the guy up so badly that he locked himself in the bathroom and wouldn’t come out until Brian left the place. He decided on a week which would be enough time for James to pay him back in plenty of favors. Sometimes, violence is the answer to all your problems or lying about it, at least.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! This is another fanfiction I posted on Tumblr after receiving a request via ask.
> 
> Tumblr @impracticaljokers


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